The fog in the First Zone seemed to thicken with every step, turning the forest into a suffocating grey labyrinth.
Judas lowered his katana, his brow furrowed in deep concentration. Beside him, Nina was practically vibrating with anxiety, her ears twitching at phantom sounds that never materialized into threats.
They had circled the northern quadrant for an hour. They had checked the caves, the ravines, and the dense thickets where ambush predators usually lay in wait.
Nothing. Not a single monster scuttled in the underbrush. Not one roar echoed in the distance.
"This is impossible," Judas muttered, sheathing his blade with a sharp click. "Even if the mob density is low, it shouldn't be zero."
They headed back to the rendezvous point—a large, lightning-struck oak tree in the center of the zone.
Luna, Ezra, and Summer were already there waiting. Their expressions mirrored Judas's own confusion. Their weapons were clean, dry, and unused.
